Chapter 37
It was January 2, the start of the new year. Allen and Krena were heading to Krena's house together.
"We got a lot, didn't we?"
"Yeah."
Krena chatted happily as the two of them walked from the residential district toward home.
Yesterday had been January 1, New Year's Day. Even in this other world, people had a custom of celebrating the new year. Allen's family didn't do anything special. There was no alcohol, nor any food like the mochi eaten in the real world.
However, sometime after the middle of January last year, Peromus, the Village Chief's son, had started joining their knights game. Allen had asked whether commoners did anything for the new year.
Apparently, the villagers were invited to a New Year's feast. Dogora went every year, too. Hearing that, Dogora had added, "You guys should come, too."
They'd been invited to the New Year's feast. They'd stayed the night and were now heading home the next morning, their hands full of gifts.
The feast had been more extravagant than usual to celebrate the success of last year's boar hunt.
Last year, the lord had ordered them to hunt fifteen boars, 1.5 times the number they'd caught the year before. Thanks to Allen's Long-Spear Method for training newcomers, they'd increased the number of hunts and caught eighteen. And, of course, no one had suffered a serious injury. They'd met their quota.
The Village Chief had invited Rodan and Gerda to the feast as well, but they'd declined, saying they had little children at home. So Allen and Krena had gone instead. With the children of those who'd played leading roles in the successful boar hunt attending, the Village Chief was able to save face, too.
"We're home!"
Krena announced her return from the earthen-floored entrance.
"Big sis!"
Lily, who could walk now, ran over and hugged Krena. They seemed very close. Krena was gently squishing her cheeks. Mash was beside them.
"Oh, you're back."
Gerda was there, and so was Michilda. And—
"Did you have fun at the Village Chief's house?"
"Welcome home."
Rodan, Telesia, and Myura were there, too.
"I'm home, Dad, Mom, Myura. It was fun."
Today was a sleepover at Krena's house. That made two nights in a row.
Allen had checked with Peromus beforehand to make sure there would be gifts. Since they had gifts to bring, he'd suggested having a sleepover at Krena's house the following day.
They handed over the meat and fruit they'd received. Michilda and Telesia began cooking with it, while Allen and Krena, back together after a day apart, played with Mash and Lily.
Before long, the food was ready. The two families were serfs, but with all the gifts, they had quite a feast. Thanks to all the hunting, they had Great Boar meat, as well as the Alba Heron meat Allen had caught.
A family-style feast began amid the warm conversation. With four adults and six children, the room was very cramped now that their families had grown. The feast had been fun, but Allen still thought a sleepover at Krena's house was better.
They talked about the feast, including how the Village Chief had thanked Rodan and Gerda. Krena was too busy eating to remember much of it. Meanwhile, Gerda was listening to the conversation restlessly, fidgeting.
"Hey, Allen."
"Yes?"
"That thing behind you... Is it, by any chance..."
Behind Allen's back was the gift from the Village Chief's house: a small wooden barrel that could hold a few liters.
"Huh? This? It's alcohol."
Allen had brought the alcohol home as a gift. Unlike the other gifts, he hadn't handed it over.
"Ohhh!!!"
The two men let out an involuntary cry. Rodan and Gerda's eyes lit up.
(Heh, got 'em. So both of them are drinkers.)
Ignoring the sparkle in their eyes, he continued talking to Krena.
"Wha—?!"
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Rodan and Gerda were shocked as the conversation somehow moved on from the alcohol. They'd apparently assumed this was the part where they got to have some.
"Wait, that's a gift from the Village Chief, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's my gift."
He looked at them as if to ask what they were talking about.
"What? You can't even drink!"
Gerda objected emphatically. Rodan was nodding along, agreeing with him. They seemed to be thinking of nothing but the alcohol. Telesia and Michilda were looking at them as if to ask what was going on.
"Oh, fine, I guess. It's my alcohol, but I'll give it to you if you win a test of strength."
He insisted that it was his alcohol. If they wanted it, they'd have to win.
"Huh? A test of strength?"
"But if you'd rather not, that's fine. I'm not giving you the alcohol, though."
Silence fell over the living room. Krena had stuffed her mouth with food and was looking around as if to ask what was going on.
"All right, a test of strength it is."
Gerda took the bait, full of enthusiasm. This was entertaining in its own way. Gerda flexed his arm, then looked at Rodan, asking what his dad would do.
"Yeah. There's no way I'm losing a test of strength to my son."
"Then it's settled. I'll take you both on by myself. If I beat you both, I win, okay?"
"Hmm? You're pretty confident. Sure, fine by me."
Gerda wondered if a two-on-one match was really all right. Rodan nodded beside him.
"Then if I lose to both of you, I'll give you the alcohol. But what will you give me if I win?"
"Huh?"
The two men spoke in surprise at the same time. They'd thought they'd get alcohol if they won, but hadn't considered what would happen if they lost.
"So, if I win, I don't get anything?"
"Is there anything you want?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Allen, wondering what he wanted.
"Then if I win, let me take part in this year's boar hunt with a spear."
"What?!"
Only then did they realize they'd been had. Rodan and Gerda had both fallen for it. The whole thing had been planned from the start. If they won, they got the alcohol; if they lost, Allen would be allowed to join the boar hunt. He'd brought home this alcohol from the Village Chief's house specifically to get permission to join the hunt.
Allen had checked with Peromus beforehand to see whether there would be alcohol at the Village Chief's feast, then gone to the feast. The sleepover on the second night had been part of Allen's plan, too.
"Is that a problem? It's a test of strength."
He emphasized the word "strength." This wasn't just any contest. It was a test of strength.
If he beat Rodan and Gerda in a contest of strength, why shouldn't he be allowed to join? Gerda gave Rodan a look that asked what they should do. Naturally, Rodan was the one who had to answer.
"Yeah, fine. If we win, we get the alcohol, and if Allen wins, he can join the boar hunt."
"Wha—! H-Honey!"
Telesia was shocked. She hadn't expected him to agree. Rodan told Telesia he wasn't going to lose.
"Then it's settled. How are we doing this test of strength?"
It was a contest that involved strength, but they hadn't discussed what kind.
"Arm wrestling."
"Arm wrestling?"
"Arm wrestling!"
While everyone else looked puzzled, Krena reacted. Allen had already held a practice match at the Village Chief's house to help Rodan and Gerda understand arm wrestling. The Village Chief's-house arm-wrestling tournament had already taken place.
"All right, Krena and I will arm-wrestle first. Come here, Krena."
"Okay!"
Allen and Krena lay down on the earthen floor. The living room was too cramped, so this was the only place. Everyone watched the two of them, wondering what they were doing. They lay facing each other and clasped hands.
"Now, all that's left is for someone to say 'Begin!' Then the match starts. Mom, say 'Begin!'"
Still holding hands, Allen explained the signal to start.
"Huh? Begin?"
Telesia gave the starting signal, drawing out the word. The instant she did, Allen and Krena put all their strength into their arms. Krena's face turned red as she strained.
But Allen pushed the back of Krena's hand down to the ground and won. It was an effortless victory.
"Allen, you're strooong! I lost agaaain!"
Krena was frustrated. She'd lost at the Village Chief's house, too.
"Got it? You win by pressing your opponent's hand to the ground. It's a contest of arm strength."
It was a simple contest. Rodan and Gerda seemed to understand. And Krena, the Sword Saint, had been defeated in an instant.
(Krena isn't particularly strong, after all. Her level is probably still 1, too.)
Allen figured Krena was strong because of her high Swordsmanship Skill. Her physical strength itself wasn't all that great since she hadn't leveled up.
"I see, I understand. Which of us is going first?"
"Gerda-san, of course. Dad's next."
The plan was to take Gerda down first.
The battle for the alcohol (a gift) and permission to join the boar hunt began.